5-25-10 Sawasdee Ka... A Thai greeting
Friends:
On our last full day in Thailand, Nicole, Katrin and I returned to the Floating Market to pick up some jewelry that I commissioned. The artist, Jod, was there and he customized my necklace even more!
5-25-10 My necklace is handcrafted especially for me by the artist
The necklace turned out beautifully. It is a stunning piece that is sure to elicit “oohs” and “ahs!”
5-25-10 A close-up of my stunning necklace
Not only is Jod a talented jewelry artist but he is an incredible painter. Look at this stunning piece that took him three years to complete!!
5-25-10 Jod, the artist who custom-made my pearl & crystal studded necklace, also created the painting behind us.
I love the art at the Floating Market. I picked up a few more handicrafts to bring home, including a wooden statue of the Thai dancer like the one above.
5-25-10 Art at the Pattaya Floating Market
We didn’t stay long since we had already been to the Floating Market but I did learn how to make the perfect watermelon shake!
5-25-10 I now know how to make a Thai watermelon shake. This lady showed me how! My fave cold drink in Thailand!
I was also privileged to meet Mr. Suwan’s (our taxi tour guide) wife. He was such a joy and I was so glad that he helped us around Pattaya. His wife was also just as sweet.
5-25-10 Our cab driver, Mr. Suwan, and his lovely wife.
Before we left, I had to send postcards to loved ones at home. 
5-25-10 I stop to send postcards to loved ones in the U.S.
After we left the Pattaya Floating Market, Mr. Suwan took us to various landmarks around Pattaya, including a pineapple field.
5-25-10 A baby pineapple up close
We visited different Buddhist temples. This one had three hundred steps that led to its pinnacle!
5-25-10 There are over 300 steps to get to the top of this temple!
At this temple, I met another monkey (he was kind of mean)!
5-25-10 Met a man with a pet monkey. This monkey was vicious!
We visited another Buddhist temple in Pattaya, located amidst a pretty park.
5-25-10 Katrin, Dianne & Nicole in front of a Buddhist temple in Pattaya
There were beautiful Plumerias on the grounds.
5-25-10 A fresh Plumeria in my hair
Mr. Suwan took us to Kaho Chee Chan, a mountain with a giant image of Buddha lasered into the side of the mountain and inlaid with gold. It was amazing to sit at the foot of this mountain!
5-25-10 Look at the scale of the mountain. Nicole and I are sitting at the bottom.
Our last stop on our day tour was a Chinese Buddhist museum. It was gorgeous!
5-25-10 In front of a lion statue at a Chinese Buddhist Musuem in Pattaya
The inside of the museum was spectacular with original Chinese art, a miniature replica of the Great Wall of China, and a miniature replica of the famous Terra Cotta Army.
5-25-10 Look at the carvings above the door!
Nicole, Katrin and I took lots of pictures!
5-25-10 Katrin, Dianne & Nicole in front of a Buddha altar at the Chinese Buddhist Museum in Pattaya, Thailand
After our day touring Pattaya, we headed back to the hotel to shower and get dressed for a ladyboy show at a place called “Tiffany’s.” All the beautiful women in the show are actually men!!!
5-25-10 Katrin and Nicole pose with ladyboy performers from the Tiffany Show in Pattaya
It was a full day. When we returned to the hotel, we still had to pack! I didn’t get to bed until 4:30am! But I had a blast in Thailand and enjoyed all the new sights, tastes, and experiences the country had to offer. Khob-kun-Ka!
Until next time…
Warmly, Dianne
